You've got questions, I've got answers!

What's the flow for Family Beach Portrait Sessions?

For the best light, our shoot would start the hour before sunset and spend a full hour together. In most cases, I will meet you at your vacation home to say hello to everyone and set expectations for the shoot before we head to the beach. During the shoot, I will capture pictures of the entire family, individual family groupings, and my very favorite, the candids (this is me running around after the kids trying to capture that special shot)! Likely there will be some sand in your pants and wet feet your future, so don't say I didn't tell you!

Please keep in mind that it can be a little windy and may be humid. So hair will not remain perfectly coiffed! Try to embrace your "beach hair", love how the breeze lifts it gently and don't get too worried over it.

What should we wear?

I recommend to my clients to first and foremost wear something comfortable! It should be clothing you are not too worried about getting sand on or hems wet from the ocean. I think there are two ways to go with clothing for a shoot; 1) everyone matches or 2) colorful but cohesive. If you like the look of matched outfits, pick a bottom and top color and go for it, i.e., jeans and white shirts. If you want something more colorful, I suggest you choose 3 colors and tell your party to mix and match their clothing in these colors. Yes, they can include stripes, plaids and solids as long as they are in the 3 color varieties (avoid bright red or bright pink please). Check out Pintrest for some great ideas and color combinations, search for "what to wear for family photos". For the kids, hats and hair bows are great ways to add a pop of color and fun!Feel free to bring a few beach toys too, buckets and shovels!

What if it rains the day of the shoot?

Unfortunately, I can't control the weather or wind conditions, but promise I will do my best to make the most of the situation. In many cases, if their is rain in the forecast, I will communicate with you through the day and if we have the opportunity to be flexible with time, we may move the shoot to miss the rain. If that isn't an option, and if I have an open slot later in the week, I am happy to accommodate a different day. I don't require payment until the day of the shoot, so if we can't make it happen, you won't be out any money.

Suggestions on How to Prep everyone for the shoot?

Kids: Since our shoot is typically the hour before sunset, adjust naps accordingly and do your best to ensure kids rested and fed. Get them excited for the shoot and make it sound exciting and FUN! You might consider a reward or something fun waiting after the shoot (ice cream?). Most of all, let them be KIDS! Give them the grace to be who they are, play, and trust that I will capture their personalities no matterwhat.

"The Men": Make sure they are also rested and fed, LOL! Take a minute to show them a few of your favorite pictures from my website so he can see the relaxed nature of my work as this will help them know what to expect. Let him know that the best thing he can do is to just enjoy his family- and let ME do the work. The pressure is off. And, most important, let him know how much this means to you, and that you’re glad he is willing to be such a team player for one hour!

How to Prep Yourself:I realize the amount of coordination that is required for a family photo shoot, so my best advice is to let go of any thoughts that this must be "perfect". It’s ok if the kids aren’t “perfect” during our time together. Don’t worry about your kids not giving me their “real smiles.” Most of the time, being told “not that smile, your REAL smile!” only makes it worse… So, don’t worry. I will work hard to get them laughing and will be sure to capture them at their best! The most important thing for you to remember is to just enjoy your family. Let this be a time that you have fun with each other, tell silly stories, and laugh a lot! Down the road, it won’t matter nearlyas much if you were having a bad hair day that day, or if your son wasn’t listening well. You will look back on these pictures and remember this moment in time, and how quickly it went.

What happens after the shoot?

I will take hundreds of pictures during the shoot, review each of them to select the best ones to edit. Therefore, I will need about 3 to 4 weeks to finish editing your pictures. I will send you a sneak peek within 48 hours. Typically, I come away with 30+ edited images. The photos will then be posted in an on-line gallery that is password protected. You will receive an email with the details and can forward that to family and friends. From this site, your party can view, download hi-resolution images, and easily order print products.

Can I order Prints or other Photo Products from Faithography?

Yes, I offer a wide variety of prints, wall decor, and other fun products. I utilize a Photographer's professional print house where my monitor is calibrated to their lab, offering quality that you just can't get from your big box retailers or consumer on-line photo sites. Once you receive your on-line gallery, its easy to order print products in a click of a mouse! If you don't see what your looking for, just let me know as I am happy to help you find what you want!

How do we book an appointment with Faithography?

That's easy, just use the 'contact' link to send me some basic information about your photography needs, date range for the shoot, how many people, etc. I will respond within 24 hours and we can correspond to firm up details. Please note that summer sessions book up very quickly, so please make your appointment as early as possible in your vacation planning.

What other types of photography do you do?

In addition to family portraits, I love working with high school seniors, professional headshots, small intimate weddings, expectant mothers and newborns. I am also happy to capture pictures of events. Let's chat and see how I can help you!